AC 197
by jactinglim
Summary: The story begins in After Colony 197, a year after Endless Waltz. A new character is introduced  my creation . The rest belongs to whoever owns Gundam Wing.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

Catherine Bloom picked her way through the dark alley, silencing her own grumblings, knowing it's her fault that she ran out of supplies. She felt lucky to find a convenience store still open at a powerless night like this.

Or so she thought. She found her way blocked by two looming shadows. She smelled alcohol. Before she could even turn she knew by the scuffling noises that there were two more drunk men behind her as well.

"Hey angel, don'tcha look luvly t'night.." one of the men slurred, approaching her. The other guys all moved in, "C'mon, babe... lesss'ave fun" they sniggered.

She didn't scream nor try to run away. She surveyed the four men…

And took out four knives.

* * *

The men laughed drunkenly, "Oooh! The pretty knife-thrower's gonna play!"

Two of the knives hit home, and the cowards ran away cursing. the other two were too fast and managed to subdue her first. This time she screamed in rage and fought for all that she could but they covered her mouth. The men laughed, feeling victorious as they pushed her body against the dirty pavement.

The next thing she knew, the man on top of her was violently thrown aside. She glimpsed long, flowing hair as the other man received a swift and high kick up his jaw. The newcomer grabbed her arm and pulled her up off the ground and out of the alley.

"Go back to the store!" Catherine heard her rescuer's female voice tell her as she was pushed to the direction of the brightly-lit establishment. When she turned around she can see only darkness inside the alley. Confused, she ran as directed while thuds and yelps in pain sounded in the cold night air.

* * *

She stood there waiting, safe under the lights and still wondering what just happened. She then felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see, illuminated in the artificial lights, a girl with long green hair. With a silent smile she handed Catherine the bag of groceries she dropped when she was attacked in the alley.

Catherine smiled back as she accepted, "How could I ever thank you?"

At that, the girl held up a loaf of bread that Catherine bought earlier. The younger girl bit into it and smiled again, before turning to leave.

"Wait!" the brown-haired girl called out. She saw the girl stop.

She went on, "Bread is too little payment for what you've done for me. I live at the circus camped nearby. Please come home with me, I'm making dinner."

She could only see one side of her face, covered with her green hair. Then she smiled and approached Catherine, "Thank you."

* * *

"No job? So how did you manage all this time?" Catherine asked in bewilderment, finishing their meal together back in her circus home.

"I left my last job as a bouncer because the girls I used to protect can take care of themselves now," the girl who introduced herself as Nilca Woods replied, "I taught them."

"A bouncer... it would seem ridiculous looking at a girl like you, but from what I've seen back in the alley, I have no doubt you're capable!"

"People in this colony don't think so, looking at me. So until I get a new job I do some odd jobs here and there, just to get by."

Catherine suddenly had an idea, "How about if I hire you?"

Nilca gave her a puzzled look, "...You need a bouncer?"

"No no, we need an extra hand in the circus since my brother is too busy these days."

"An extra hand? What would you need me to do?"

"Be our acrobat then," Catherine replied, mischievously raising a brow.

"An acrobat...?" Nilca trailed off, a hint of smile playing on her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**

* * *

**

As Trowa Barton approached the circus he could hear the festive music and the cheering crowd even from afar, punctuated by the ringmaster's voice, "...Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! And that was the amazing Catherine Bloom, who just dazzled you all with her skills with knives! Up next, our newest act: our acrobat Raven on the flying trapeze!"

He was engulfed with the cheers of the massive crowd as he entered the tent. Trowa climbed gracefully up the tent supports to his usual perch whenever he wanted to watch the circus up close but unseen. He focused his green eyes at the black-garbed acrobat, intrigued.

The strange girl wore a black cap that extended to a mask covering the top half her face. Her entire head was framed by a sleek plumage of long black feathers that fanned out from a glittering brooch on her forehead, before gently curving around her head and ears. She spread her arms and took flight across the air to catch the bars of another swing in perfect timing. He noted her black satin cape to be shaped like wings. _"Raven,"_ he thought, amused.

* * *

"Wow, Nilca! That wasn't bad at all!" Trowa heard his sister say at the end of her performance as Raven when he entered the back of their circus tent.

Upon seeing him, Catherine brightened up, "Ah! My dear brother Trowa is back!" The other girl followed her gaze, turning around to face him. What struck him first was her blue eyes, haunting in their strange familiarity, shining beneath the plumed mask.

Catherine placed her hand on his shoulder as she faced Nilca, "Nil, I'd like you meet my younger brother, Trowa. Trowa, this is our newest circus attraction, Nilca Woods."

"Pleased to meet you," the acrobat politely greeted, extending her hand. He accepted, with a slight smile.

"A successful first night, and Trowa finally back home. This calls for a celebration!" raising her arms in enthusiasm, Catherine declared, "Let's hit the bar!"

* * *

LATER, AT THE BAR:

..."Hey gorgeous, come home with me!" A big man sidled up against Catherine, who's geting annoyed, 'If Trowa was here instead of away at some emergency Preventers' meeting...' she silently fumed.

"Leave me alone already! You've been bugging me all night!" she retorted, reaching for her knives. Nilca quickly stopped her, knowing her intent, "Hey, stupid! Go bother someone else! She clearly said no," Nilca told him.

"No? To me? Listen little girl, no woman says no to me!" he smirked.

The seventeen-year old girl rolled her ice-blue eyes, "If I outdrink you, will you leave us alone?"

At first he was puzzled, then laughed out loud, "You would not outlast me girlie! If I win, I take home _both_ of you!" he said with a leer.

"If _I_ win, you get out and stay the hell out of our sight!" she replied, her eyes blazing blue.

He grinned wider, "You're on!"

* * *

MEANWHILE, AT THE PREVENTERS' HEADQUARTERS:

"It's confirmed. They are threatening war," Trowa reported, his face the usual blank. Dr. Sally Po looked worried, "But this is mad! We have assured them time and again that we destroyed all our gundams and are not harboring anymore high-scale weapons of war."

"Their insistence of our having gundams is merely an excuse to wage war. We do not stop the war from happening by telling them we don't have our gundams anymore; we only assure them that we don't have that edge in war as before," Wufei chang said with a dark look in his Asian eyes, "I just received reports that they're already building a gundam even as we speak."

"It... It's inevitable then. Oh God! another war..." Sally said bitterly, fighting anger.

"No use getting emotional, woman," Wufei said briskly, "We must take steps..."

"I will find the others and relay the news," Trowa volunteered.

"Sally and I will send our men to investigate further and see if we could find and stop them before they could attack," Wufei replied.

At that the tall youth nodded, and left.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

* * *

Trowa entered the bar, deliberately training his green eyes around the interiors, looking for the two girls he was supposed to join in celebration. Instead he found a crowd gathering around one table. With a slight feeling of suspicion he walked over, and found his gut feelings true.

"Trowa! Thank god you're here! I tried to talk her out of it, but she went on ahead!" Catherine looked positively distressed as she hurried to her brother's side.

"What's happening?" he asked as he saw Nilca sitting across a large burly man. They had several bottles between them, and they both looked very drunk.

"Give up, me bonny lass!" Ye cannae take another!" the strange man slurred.

"The first one who passes out loses... Trowa, she made a bet to outdrink him to force him away, but also agreed that if he wins, he'd take _both_ of us home!" the knife thrower said, fear in her beautiful eyes.

"I won't let you...uhh...win!" she shot back, struggling to keep her eyes open as she reached for her refilled shotglass.

The crowd fell silent. They are even now. If she passes out, he wins. If she drinks her shot, she'll be one ahead. After a long excruciating moment, she set her glass down, empty. Everyone turned to see the other drinker...

He was slumped on the table, snoring.

"Hn! Loser..." the green-haired girl snorted derisively as she stood up.

Trowa caught her in time when she lost both her balance and her consciousness. He turned to his brown-haired sister, "Catherine, let's go home," to which she nodded.

* * *

"Thank you, Trowa. You came just in time," Catherine said, relieved, when they got home.

"I wish I've gotten there sooner," he replied, looking at the girl he's carrying.

Catherine hesitated, but needed to know the truth, "You went back to the Preventers' headquarters, right? What was so urgent that you had to rush back there?"

He thought about the terrible possibility of another war. He decided to change the subject, "Go on to bed, I'll carry her up to her room."

* * *

When he laid her down, Nilca stirred and held on to him, "Mmm... what happened? ...Trowa?"

"You lost consciousness right after he did. We brought you home," Trowa replied.

"Aaw, you carried me all the way here? Dat's sooo sweet!" she cooed, still tipsy.

Feeling her arms circle around his neck, he quickly said, "Good night, Nilca."

She giggled coyly, "Mmm, leaving already? Please stay..." she whispered.

He softly said "Nilca, n-no..." but found himself not resisting as she pulled him down to her bed and laid on top of him, resting her head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes as he felt her lips against his neck...

A few seconds passed before he eventually opened his eyes again, when he realized she has stopped moving. Gently rolling her to lie beneath him, he saw that she fell asleep. He raised his hand, unconsciously, to touch her face, when he heard steps on the stairs.

In a quick, graceful motion, he noiselessly vaulted himself off the bed without disturbing its occupant, just in time as Catherine opened the door. "Everything ok?" she asked her brother, standing by the door.

"Yes," he replied, face expressionless, "She's sleeping."


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

* * *

**_Flashback_**

All eyes turned to Wufei Chang when he entered the Preventer's headquarters. He in turn looked at each of them who came to the meeting: Heero Yuy, who was contacted only thru Relena; Duo Maxwell was found at his junkshop with Hirde, as expected; and Quatre Raberba Winner, who knew to come before he was called, for he keeps himself updated with the Preventers' affairs.

The Chinese man started the meeting. "It's worse than we thought. Those war-mongers are also building mobile dolls for their cause," he scowled.

"Are the gundam rumors confirmed?" Heero inquired.

Sally Po, the Chinese doctor who was head of Preventers, faced Heero as she replied, "Yes, it's a Wing Zero."

"_Dammit!_ We better start preparing the troops..."

"Actually... there's a reason the five of you are called together here," a new voice interrupted. They all turned and was surprised to find Milliardo Peacecraft.

Silence fell upon all of them. They all know the answer now, but were hesitant to admit it out loud. Finally Quatre said it:

"We need to fight rebuild our gundams.

"...Damn, and we just blew 'em all up!" Duo couldn't help blurting, planting his face into his palms.

* * *

"Trowa? Your... friends, are here," Catherine said, with a suspecting look.

Her green-eyed brother turned to Nilca, who was helping him feed the circus animals, "Excuse me," then went out to meet his fellow ex-gundam pilots.

"Oi, Trowa! The circus is looking good!" Duo greeted when he saw him, "I got most of the basic supplies, but I'll have to look harder for the... pricey stuff," motioning to the truck behind, a big sign saying 'Duo's Junkyard' was clearly printed on its sides.

"It's ok, it should be enough to start with," Trowa replied, then went with Duo to move the mechanical parts to a new tent he just set up.

* * *

Later Wufei arrived, looking for Trowa and Duo. Entering the tent, he saw a green-haired girl doing flips in the air while dodging moving obstacles along the way to the bullseye, which she shot at precisely the same time she landed.

"A girl with guns, how unbecoming," the Chinese man scoffed, turning to the exit. Then he heard a shot whiz past his ear and hit the tent peg that's holding the heavy tent flap up, closing the 'door'.

"I heard that, you chinky-eyed chauvinist!" she said with a glare.

"I won't waste my time with you, woman," he growled.

"Oh, I'll only prove that I can do without guns either," she said, then rushed at him.

Knowing her intent he quickly thought, "Just knock the foolish woman unconscious, then go on and find Trowa and Duo," trying not to roll his eyes at the annoying girl. He launched the first attack, aiming for her head, but she dodged and deftly kicked him at the back. As he slid across the ground, she angrily stalked off. She didn't notice Trowa and Duo who came to investigate the noise.

"Yo, Wufei! You sounded like you were fighting someone... Eh? What are you doing lying on the ground?" Duo asked.

Seeing how angry the Chinese man is, Trowa quickly changed the subject, "Why did you guys come here?"

Scowling and dusting himself off he replied, "Our informer... he was found murdered in his apartment."


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

Heero Yuy looked across the table to Quatre Raberba Winner; closing the virtual documents he had just finished reading on the embedded display panel in front of him, "Have the others been notified?"

The blonde Arabian nodded, "They are on their way here as we speak."

The ex-assassin sat back in the luxurious leather armchair as he surveyed the stylish conference room of the Winners' compound. He brought his gaze back to the virtual monitor floating above the middle of the large conference table. The room has been darkened, curtains drawn, to show a glowing vicinity map of their location. From the right-bottom corner, a window popped up with a chiming alert.

* * *

"You have clearance, please come on in," Quatre's gentle voice carried through the video intercom at the gates as Duo, Trowa and Wufei approached. With that, the wide gates slid open, and the monitor of the intercom turned off.

Violet eyes looked around and he whistled at the trimmed plants, marble flooring and gorgeous fountains at the center of the front lobby, "Sure is nice to have a filthy rich teammate, eh?" Duo said with a smirk, which promptly disappeared when his two companions replied with nothing but their stoic silence as they walked past him.

He shrugged and rolled his eyes as he picked up his pace to catch up with them.

* * *

The three entered the conference room, guided there by interactive displays along the building's walls. The Chinese man furrowed his brow, finding the table empty save for the two fellow ex-gundam pilots, "Where is everybody else?"

Quatre stood up, "Thank you for coming on such short notice. The Preventers headquarters has initiated investigations on the murder of our informant. However, I have called you all here for a different reason," the Winner heir answered.

With that, he sat back down and placed his hand over his control pad embedded in the table as his slim fingers tapped on its smooth hard surface. The floating screen showed an animated folder being retrieved, then opened, "My comrades, I am begging you to keep what you're about to see _strictly_ within the confines of this room."

Soon he other four Operation Meteor pilots watched the screen with different looks of shock, disgust and numbness as video footages showed mobile dolls being manufactured, villages being forced to cooperate, and mercenaries being trained. They recognized the raw materials reported stolen over the past years being used for this covert preparation for a renewed attempt at anarchy. When the sequence of videos and photos finished the glowing screen faded into darkness before the curtains automatically drew back to let the daylight in.

The Winner Corporation owner had a grim look on his face, "What you have just seen are data the informer delivered personally to me before he died. His message stressed that I keep this from anybody, including the Preventers."

Trowa stepped forward with his usual grace, "That partly explains why we are meeting here instead of the headquarters, but I am wondering why you have called together the very people who took part in Operation Meteor."

"For some reason our informer chose to trust me but not anyone else. This has been thrust into my hands. I have decided we need to make our own preparations to ensure that the public is safe..."

"Yet at this point our counter-measures need to stay below the radar," Heero continued.

Quatre met his gaze, "I am asking everyone to pilot gundams again for the war."


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

"So where did Trowa go off in such a hurry?" Nilca asked in a dismissive tone as she walked inside their tent.

Catherine looked up from her console where she was reading the ringmaster's administrative reports, "Oh, he said there's an emergency meeting for him and his fellow Preventers."

"_Hah!_ That chinky-eyed chauvinist is one of the Preventers, 'guardians of peace'? I'd sooner trust our land to the Oz all over again!" Ice blue eyes flashed in annoyance as she plopped on a seat beside her.

"Surely you don't mean that", the older sister smiled wryly, eyes still scanning the reports.

Nilca tossed her dark green lock off her face as she leaned back, "Fine, fine. He's still unbelievable."

"You mean Wufei? Hm, I suppose it takes a while to see his er, friendly side", _'a loooong while'_, Catherine thought as she stopped herself in time with a stifled laugh.

"Assuming such a thing _exists_", the younger girl snapped back as she moved closer, "But with that cheeky smile of yours I highly doubt it!" _*bap*_ a pillow flew through the air and softly hit Catherine.

"_Sure_, as if you're one to talk!" the seat cushion victim responded by throwing the pillow back, "I heard he got anything but a welcoming speech from _you_."

"After the shite he's been spouting off, he got off _easy,_", the pillow hit its mark, and she crossed her arms as her hair fell back to her face.

"And since when has _'literally beaten to the ground'_ been under the definition of _'got off easy'_?" Catherine said with her exuberant laugh.

* * *

"How are we proceeding?"

"The spy has been eliminated, sir."

"Good. However, I fear we are too late. We must move the schedule at a faster pace before the Preventers could do anything to ruin our plans."

The officer nodded, "Our gundam is nearing completion, sir."

"And our pilot?"

"Already located, sir."

"Very well. See to retrieval at once, and have the pilot report to me."

The younger soldier felt aware of his own awkwardness to his general's strict attitude, "Permission to speak, sir."

"Granted."

The field officer cleared his throat, "To be frank, sir, there may be the possibility of the pilot refusing to cooperate."

He was waved off with a shake of his head, "I'll take care of that personally. You are now excused."

* * *

After his subordinate left, the general stood up andwalked out of his office, his bodyguards following him out to the hangar.

Reaching the hangar they were greeted by the sight of their gundam, looking very much like a dark twin of the winged Zero, black metal gleaming in the low lights.

The chief engineer spotted them and approached, "We are nearing completion, sir. The stolen blueprints was a tremendous help, yet I fear the modifications you wanted may not be the best solution..."

"Were these modifications implemented?" he interrupted, still gazing upon the mobile suit.

"Y-yes sir, but the tests have proven the unit to be too dangerous to pilot! Each test pilot were driven to lunacy. If you would allow me, I could provide safer and more predictable alternatives..."

"No", he said firmly as he finally turned his eyes on him, "My pilot can handle it."

The engineer wondered how long he had been staring slack-jawed before he realized himself and closed his mouth. Not sure anymore of what to say, he left to go back to work. The general went back to marveling at his brainchild, the linchpin to his plans to take control of Earth and its colonies:

"Gundam Raven", he said with an evil smile.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

It was a peaceful night as everyone was recovering from their final performance for their stay in the city. A faint voice in the distance was then heard from one of the trailers, as a name was repeatedly called.

"...Nilca? I've been calling you over for dinner, what's taking you so..." her question trailed off as she found a letter on Nilca's bed as she entered the sleeping quarters.

_Dear Catherine,_

_Had to leave in a hurry. Thanks for everything. Please take care. I'll miss you guys, always. Goodbye._

_Nilca_

She stood still for a long time, trying to process everything she had just read. Filled with confusion, she wasn't sure what to do next. Her footfalls echoed across the empty makeshift house as she went in search of her brother, "Trowa!"

The tall youth turned to the voice of his older sister. She has broken his train of thought about the loss of their mole in the enemy side, and was weighing the possibilities of how soon the war would start, and if they can face up against their Gundam after they have all destroyed their own. At the moment he couldn't help noting the agitated look on Catherine's face.

"Nilca's gone!" she cried out, numbly handing the letter over.

He read through it as she asked him what they should do. He looked up and answered in his usual quiet voice, "If she wishes to leave, we can only let her go."

"But what if she's in danger?"

He was silent for a moment. For some reason he cannot comprehend, he feels she might have a point; but he finally decided to go with his logic, "She would have indicated in her letter if she is or needs our help in any way. I don't see any point in following her, and I don't think that's what she wanted, anyway."

A tear fell across her cheek, "I... I'll miss her, too."

He put his arm around her as she slumped, crying silently.

* * *

Duo went in to the Preventers' conference room, his cheerfulness uncharacteristically absent, "Guys, I got good news and bad news."

"Just hurry on to your report, Duo" Wufei cut in, losing patience. Sally shot him a disapproving look. The rest looked on expectantly.

"We can work on improving our mobile suits..." Duo blurted out.

Quatre looked puzzled, "What is this? 'Mobile suits'? We're supposed to be working on..."

"The gundams can't be rebuilt," Heero interrupted.

Everyone turned to Duo, and the young man with the braid could only nod, "You do know Gundanium is rare as it is."

"This is not good," Milliardo said, "Are you saying the best we have against their Wing Zero is our standard issue mobile suits?"

"No," Noin disagreed with her voice full of conviction, "The best we have against them is us."

"Still, it's not gonna be easy fighting against an army with a Gundam," Duo soberly said.

"Then we have to rely on our tactics to defeat them," Milliardo said, his pale blue eyes deep in thought as his mind's wheels started turning.


End file.
